JSC - Mathematics in the Modern World

Mathematics in the Modern world

LESSON #1: The Nature of Mathematics

 One of the things about Mathematics that we

love the most is its uncanny ability to reveal
hidden beautiful patterns in our everyday life,
the nature around us. These patterns can be
sequential, spatial, temporal, and even
linguistic. There are connections between
things that don’t seem connected, but can be
observed with the intellect of math.
 The Fibonacci Sequence is the series of
numbers:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...
 the 2 is found by adding the two numbers
before it (1+1),
 the 3 is found by adding the two numbers
before it (1+2),
 The 5 is (2+3), and so on! Each number is the
sum of the previous two. This series of numbers
is known as the Fibonacci numbers or the
Fibonacci sequence.
 The ratio between the numbers (1.618034) is
frequently called the golden ratio or golden
number.

Generalization of the Lesson

 The patterns and numbers in nature proves one

thing - we can say mathematics is the science of
patterns.
 Fibonacci numbers appear in nature often  Recognizing number patterns is an important
enough to prove that they reflect some problem-solving skill. If you recognize a pattern
naturally occurring patterns. You can when looking systematically at specific
commonly spot these by studying the examples, that pattern can then be used to
manner in which various plants grow. make things easier when needing a solution to a
 Here are a few examples: the snowflakes problem
and honeycomb; tiger’s stripes and hyenas
spots; the sunflower; the snail shell, flower
petals
JSC - Mathematics in the Modern World
LESSON #2: Number Sequence and Series Special Sequences,

 A sequence is said to be arithmetic if each term,  There are also many special sequences, here are
after the first, is obtained from the preceding some of the most common:
term by adding a common value.
 Infinite sequences go on forever without end. If Triangular Numbers
you see the three dots at the end of a sequence,
 1, 3, 6, 10 , 15, 21, 28, 36, 45,…
you'll know that it continues on and is an
infinite sequence. A finite sequence is a This Triangular Number Sequence is generated from a
sequence that stops after a certain number of pattern of dots that form a triangle. By adding another
terms. row of dots and counting all the dots we can find the
next number of the sequence:
Examples of arithmetic sequence
 Rule: xn = n(n+1)/2
 2, 4, 6, 8, 10…  Example:
 -2, -4, -6, -8, -10… the 5th Triangular Number is x5 = 5(5+1)/2
 ¼, ½, ¾, 1, 1 ¼… = 15, and the sixth is x6 = 6(6+1)/2 = 21
 -2, -1, 0, 1, 2…
Square Numbers
Find the general term of an arithmetic sequence. “The
nth term of an arithmetic sequence is an = a1 + (n – 1)  0,1,4,9,16, 25,36,49,…
d, where a1 is the first term and d is the common
difference.” Cube Numbers

Derivation of arithmetic sequence:  1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, …

 a1 They are the cubes of the counting numbers (they start

at 1)
 a2 = a1 + d
 a3 = a2 + d = (a1 + d ) + d = a1 + 2d Fibonacci Numbers
 a4 = a3 + d = (a1 + 2d ) + d = a1 + 3d
 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, …
Examples:  The Fibonacci Sequence is found by adding the
two numbers before it together.
 Find the nth term of the arithmetic sequence
 The 2 is found by adding the two numbers
11, 2, -7…
before it (1+1)
Solution: an = a1 +(n – 1) d
= 11 + (n – 1)(-9)  The 21 is found by adding the two numbers
before it (8+13)
= -9n + 20
 The next number in the sequence above would
 The first term of an arithmetic sequence is –15
and the fifth term is 13. Find the fortieth term. be 55 (21+34)
Solution: a5 = a1 +(5 – 1) d Generalization of the Lesson
13 = -15 + 4d
28 = 4d • If a sequence is formed by adding (or subtracting)
d=7 the same number each time to get the next term,
a40 = -15 + (39)(7) = 258 it's called an arithmetic sequence.

In a Geometric Sequence, each term is found by • If you're not sure the sequence is arithmetic, you'll
multiplying the previous term by a constant. want to double check to make sure the difference
between each set of consecutive terms is the same.
 A Geometric Sequence is made by multiplying If the number that's being added isn't the same
by the same value each time.
number each time, it's not an arithmetic sequence.
Example: 1,3, 9, 27,81, 243,…
 This sequence has a factor of 3 between each • When we sum up just part of a sequence it is
number. called a Partial Sum.
 The pattern is continued by multiplying by 3
• But a sum of an infinite sequence it is called a
each time.
"Series" (it sounds like another name for sequence,
The Rule for any term is: but it is actually a sum)

 Xn = arn-1
 a = (the first term)
 r = (the "common ratio")
JSC - Mathematics in the Modern World
Lesson #3: Mathematical and Verbal Expressions

The Language of Mathematics

 The Language of Mathematics was designed

so we can write about:
 Things like Numbers, Sets, Functions, etc
 What we Do with those things (add,
subtract, multiply, divide, join together, etc)
 Symbols

Mathematics uses symbols instead of words:

 There are the 10 digits: 0, 1, 2, ... 9

 There are symbols for operations: +, −,
×, /, ... This is a list of commonly used symbols in the
 And symbols that "stand in" for values: x, stream of mathematics
y, ...
 And many special symbols: π, =, <, ≤, ...

Letter Conventions

Letters often have special uses:

Examples:
JSC - Mathematics in the Modern World
Translate each word phrase into an algebraic
expression:

1. The difference of 20 and 4

2. The quotient of 10x and 3

SOLUTION:
1. The key word is difference, which tells us the
operation is subtraction. Look for the
words of and and to find the numbers to subtract.
the difference of 20 and 4,

 20 minus 4,
 20−4

2. The key word is quotient, which tells us the

operation is division.
the quotient of 10x and 3,

 divide 10x by 3
 10x÷3
This can also be written as 10x/3 

Generalization of the Lesson

 Mathematical symbols are a precise form of

shorthand.
 The symbolic language consists of
symbolic expressions written in the way
mathematicians traditionally write them.
A symbol is a typographical character; it
also includes symbols that are specific to
mathematics, an expression that stands for
something.
 Languages are ways of transforming
information and meaning. Mathematics is a
language which is developed using symbols.
To study the mathematics, it is necessary to
understand the language in what way the
mathematics read and write.

Lesson #4: Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Inductive and deductive reasoning are two

fundamental forms of reasoning for mathematics.
The forms of theorems and proof that we rely on
today all began with these two types of reasoning.
Even today, mathematicians are actively using
these two types of reasoning to discover new
mathematical theorems and proofs. Believe it or
not, you yourself might be using inductive and
deductive reasoning when you make assumptions
about how the world works.
JSC - Mathematics in the Modern World
prime ad space to bourbon and offers related
discounts.

4. A hospital believes that patients recover more

quickly if they get more sleep. The hospital
distributes eye masks and earplugs to patients and
reduces lighting during the night. 

5. Teachers in the science department agree that

their students learn better through hands-on
activities. Therefore, they increase laboratory
activities when developing next year's curriculum. 

EXAMPLES OF INDUCTIVE REASONING:

1. Jennifer always leaves for school at 7:00

a.m. Jennifer is always on time. Jennifer

assumes, then, that she if she leaves at 7:00
a.m. for school today, she will be on time.
2. Bob is showing a big diamond ring to his
EXAMPLES OF DEDUCTIVE REASONING: friend Larry. Bob has told Larry that he is
planning to marry Joan. Bob must be
1. A consumer products firm believes that surprising Joan with the diamond ring
professional women are overloaded with family tonight.
and work responsibilities and strapped for time. 3. The chair in the living room is red. The chair
Therefore, they advertise that their hair coloring in the dining room is red. The chair in the
product can be applied in less time than their bedroom is red. All the chairs in the house
competition's hair coloring product. are red.
4. Michael just moved here from Chicago.
2. Management is committed to professional
Michael has red hair. Therefore, all people
development for staff members and therefore
from Chicago have red hair.
mandates that a formal professional development
5. Every chicken we've seen has been brown.
plan is incorporated into all performance reviews.
All chickens in this area must be brown.
3. A liquor store owner identifies a trend that
GENERALIZATION
customers are buying more bourbon than other
types of alcohol. The store owner then allocate
JSC - Mathematics in the Modern World
• In Basic Math there are actually only four
operations you need to know: addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division. 

4. Different Ways to Get to the Answer

• When it comes to Math, there can be

different ways of understanding a problem
and different strategies can be used to find
the answer. However, though the strategies
may differ, the answer to the question must
always be the same.

• A set is a collection of objects that have

something in common or follow a rule. The
objects in the set are called its elements.
Set notation uses curly braces, with
elements separated by commas.

• Elements of Set

• The different objects that form a set are

called the elements of a set. The elements
of the set are written in any order and are
not repeated. Elements are denoted by
small letters.
 Deductive reasoning starts with a
statement or hypothesis and then tests to • Generally, the elements of a set are written
see if it’s true through observation, where inside a pair of curly (idle) braces and are
Inductive reasoning starts with represented by commas. The name of the
observations and moves backward set is always written in capital letter.
towards generalizations and theories.
EXAMPLES:
LESSON #5: The Concepts of Sets
• 1. A = {v, w, x, y, z}
Presentation and Development of the Lesson
Here ‘A’ is the name of the set whose elements
The success in learning Math depends on mastering (members) are v, w, x, y, z.
the four basic concepts. They are essential for
building a strong foundation in Math. They help • 2. If a set A = {3, 6, 9, 10, 13, 18}. State
students understand and make sense of numbers whether the following statements are ‘true’
and problem-solving; they strengthen his or her or ‘false’:
number sense. These four basic concepts are: a. 7 ∈ A (False, since the element 7
1. Understanding Numbers does not belongs to the given set A.)

• The first concept you must master is b. 10 ∉ A (False, since the element
knowing how to read, write and understand 10 belongs to the given set A.)
numbers.  c. 13 ∈ A (True, since the element
2. More, Less or Equal 13 belongs to the given set A.)

• The next important concept in Math is to

know how two numbers compare; whether
one number is more, less or equal to
another number because numbers
represent quantity.

3. Knowing Which Operation to Use